Ancient Art, Antiquities, Books, Natural History, Stamps & Coins

GEORGIUS III • D : G • REX ., laureate and draped bust to right, K• on truncation, date below / BRITANNIA, Britannia seated to left, holding trident and olive branch; shield resting on rock at right; SOHO on right end of rock; ship to left. SCBC 3780. 18.35gr, 34mm, 6h.

Very Fine.

From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.

GEORGIUS IIII D:G: BRITANNIAR:REX F:D:, laureate head to left / Plain crowned shield; ANNO to left and date to right. EGC 994; Fr 379; KM 689; Marsh 406; MCE 485; SCBC 3803. 3.96gr, 19mm, 6h.

Good Very Fine.

From the private collection of a Sussex, UK, gentleman.

GEORGIUS IIII DEI GRATIA •, laureate and draped bust to left / BRITANNIAR: REX FID: DEF:, seated figure of Britannia facing to right with lion at her feet, trident in left hand, shield with Union flag and olive branch in right; date in exergue. SCBC 3822. 4.56gr, 22mm, 6h.

Near Very Fine. Edge knock.

From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.

GEORGIUS IV DEI GRATIA, laureate head to left, date below / BRITANNIAR : REX FID : DEF :, Britannia seated to right, holding transverse trident in left hand, and shield with Union flag in right hand; shamrock, rose, and thistle in exergue. SCBC 3825. 4.74gr, 22mm, 12h.

Extremely Fine.

From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.

VICTORIA DEI GRATIA, first young head of Victoria to left, hair tied in fillet; date below truncation, with closed 2 / BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:, crowned shield within wreath; thistle, rose and shamrock below. Fr 387e; KM 736.1; Marsh 25; SCBC 3852. 36.80 grams total, 82 mm including case.

PCGS AU58, certification number 50931653. PCGS population in this grade: 7. PCGS population in higher grade: 27.

Acquired on the UK coin market. From the private coin collection of a West London, UK, gentleman.

Mintage: 4,865,375. Diameter: 22 mm. Weight: 7.9881 g. (AGW=0.2355 oz.) Composition: 917/1000 Gold.

VICTORIA DEI GRATIA, young head of Victoria to left, hair tied in fillet; date below truncation, with 8 struck over 7 / BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:, crowned embellished shield-of-arms. Fr 389b; KM 735.1; Marsh 422A; SCBC 3859. 31.75 grams total, 82 mm including case.

PCGS XF45, certification number 37318659. PCGS population in this grade: 2. PCGS population in higher grade: 4.

Acquired on the UK coin market. From the private coin collection of a West London, UK, gentleman.

Diameter: 19 mm. Weight: 3.99 g. (AGW=0.1176 oz.) Composition: 917/1000 Gold.

Containing coins of 5 Shillings, 2 1/2 Shillings, 2 Shillings, Shilling, 6 Pence, 3 Pence, Penny, Half Penny, and Quarter Penny. 280gr inc. box, 16 x 11.5cm.

Uncirculated. Offered in the original box set.

From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.

VICTORIA DEI GRATIA, second young head of Victoria to left, hair tied in fillet; WW incuse on truncation; date below truncation / BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:, crowned shield within wreath; thistle, rose and shamrock below. Fr 387e; KM 736.1; Marsh 38; SCBC 3852D. 36.89 grams total, 82 mm including case.

PCGS AU58, certification number 50920606. PCGS population in this grade: 20. PCGS population in higher grade: 36.

Acquired on the UK coin market. From the private coin collection of a West London, UK, gentleman.

Mintage: 8,448,482. Diameter: 22 mm. Weight: 7.9881 g. (AGW=0.2355 oz.) Composition: 917/1000 Gold.

VICTORIA DEI GRATIA, second young head of Victoria to left, hair tied in fillet; date below truncation / BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:, crowned shield within wreath; die number and national emblems below. Fr 387i; KM 736.2; Marsh 49; SCBC 3853. 36.83 grams total, 82 mm including case.

PCGS MS61, certification number 50931635. PCGS population in this grade: 8. PCGS population in higher grade: 36.

Acquired on the UK coin market. From the private coin collection of a West London, UK, gentleman.

Mintage: 8,656,353. Diameter: 22 mm. Weight: 7.9881 g. (AGW=0.2355 oz.) Composition: 917/1000 Gold.

VICTORIA DEI GRATIA, second young head of Victoria to left, hair tied in fillet; date below truncation / BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:, crowned shield within wreath; national emblems below. KM 736.2; Marsh 55; SCBC 3853B. 36.81 grams total, 82 mm including case.

PCGS MS61, certification number 50931715. PCGS population in this grade: 24. PCGS population in higher grade: 263.

Acquired on the UK coin market. From the private coin collection of a West London, UK, gentleman.

Mintage: 8,767,250. Diameter: 22 mm. Weight: 7.9881 g. (AGW=0.2355 oz.) Composition: 917/1000 Gold.

VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:, young head left, WW buried in truncation; mintmark M below / St George on horseback slaying the dragon right, horse with long tail; date and small B.P. in exergue. SCBC 3857; Marsh 100; McD 155. 35.72 grams total, 82 mm including case.

PCGS AU58, certification number 37390918. PCGS population in this grade: 23. PCGS population in higher grade: 63.

Acquired on the UK coin market. From the private coin collection of a West London, UK, gentleman.

Mintage: 2,171,457. Diameter: 22.05 mm. Weight: 7.99 g. (AGW=0.2355 oz.) Composition: 917/1000 Gold.

VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRIT: REGINA F: D:, crowned and veiled Jubilee bust to left; no JEB on truncation / BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:, crowned and embellished shield-of-arms; date in exergue. Marsh 478B; SCBC 3869C. 33.78 grams total, 82 mm including case

PCGS MS61-S3869C / 49916579, Without JEB.

Acquired on the UK coin market. From the private coin collection of a West London, UK, gentleman.

The issues the mint encountered with the Jubilee coins are well documented and were exacerbated by the pressure for the coins to be ready for the Queen's Golden Jubilee on 20 June 1887. Records show that 1,771,425 half-sovereigns were struck in 1887, but only 871,770, less than 50% of the total, were fit for circulation. The Jubilee head series—in all denominations—provides collectors with a unique insight into the workings of the Mint. Due to time restraints the Jubilee head designer Joseph Edgar Boehm’s initials JEB were individually punched onto six master dies for each mint (London, Sydney and Melbourne) by Royal Mint employee William Poplett, creating no less than 23 varieties of 1887 Jubilee Head half sovereigns. It is unknown at which point in the process Jubilee coins without the JEB were struck. They were possibly the first coins struck before William Poplett punched in the JEB on six master dies. In any case, the 1887 half sovereign without JEB is extremely rare. In their publication 'The Jubilee Head Gold Half Sovereign 1887-1893' (Sovereign Rarities, 2019), David Iverson and Steve Hill estimate that no more than three dies were used with no JEB, indicating a production estimate of around 10,000 coins.